Music, music, music

We just got home from a wonderful musical program at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Leavenworth. It was the Community Choral Festival directed by John Leavitt, who grew up in Leavenworth and is a talented and well-known director.

The choral group consisted of men and women from the choirs of nine local churches, and it was a magnificent program. It was a full house.

Also a few days ago we took part in a rehearsal of six upcoming performances of “All Shook Up” that will be in the theater in Shawnee Mission Park. This is the music of Elvis Presley, and there were many young people there that made us feel like we were born 20 years too soon.

I have no musical knowledge myself and can’t even read music but it was such a great experience to see the reaction of everyone when the music started.

This got me to thinking about the benefits of music. Research has shown that music has a profound effect on your body and your psyche. Musical training physically develops the left side of the brain known to be involved in processing language and helps solve mathematics problems. I have also found that there is musical therapy, which uses music to heal. Hospitals practice music therapy to help cancer patients, children with ADD and pain management. It wards off depression and promotes body movement to calm patients, to ease muscle tension and many other benefits that music therapy can bring.

Music with a strong beat stimulates brain waves, a faster music beat brings sharper concentration and more alert thinking, and a slower tempo promotes a calm meditative state.

Music and music therapy can help counteract or prevent the damaging effects of chronic stress. It keeps creativity and optimism higher bringing many other benefits.

One amazing thing that I have noticed over the years at dances, we have seen older people sit at tables to visit, but when the music starts they forget about their aches and pains and head for the dance floor. The only damaging thing about music is having the volume too high, and that in time could affect your hearing.

“All Shook Up” performances are July 10, 11, 15, 16, 17 and 18 and should be a fun show to see and hear.